Whirlpool bath unit

ABSTRACT

A whirlpool bath unit in which aerated water is circulated in a bathtub. The incoming water flows through a restricted orifice in a jet mixer unit to form a narrow jet stream which is directed into a larger final orifice and then into the bathtub. An air passage led into said larger final orifice of the jet mixer unit draws air that is sucked by the jet stream of water. The combination of air and jet stream is directed into the bathtub to form a circulating whirlpool. The bathtub level is maintained at a constant level by a suitably located vertical tube mounted over the bathtub drain, with the jet mixer unit fastened to said vertical tube.

United States Patent [191' Sheeler [1 11 3,810,464 51 May 14,1974

WHIRLPOOL BATH UNIT Inventor: William Sheeler, Brooklyn, NY.

Assignee: The Raymond Lee Organization,

Inc., New York, NY. a part interest Filed: July 17, 1972 Appl. No.: 272,565

US. Cl. 128/66, 4/180 Int. Cl A6lh 9/00 Field of Search 128/66, 370; 4/180 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1937 Solley 128/370 11/1931 Osterhage 1 H1966 Nash Attorney, Agenl, 0r FirmHoward l. Podell [57 ABSTRACT A whirlpool bath unit in which aerated water is circulated in a bathtub. The incoming water flows through a restricted orifice in a jet mixer unit to form a narrow jet stream which is directed into a larger final orifice and then into the bathtub. An air passage led into said larger final orifice of the jet mixer unit draws air that is sucked by the jet stream of water. The combination of air and jet stream is directed into the bathtub to form a circulating whirlpool. The bathtub level is maintained at a constant level by a suitably located vertical tube mounted over the bathtub drain, with the jet mixer unit fastened to said vertical tube.

2 Claims, 2 DrawingFigures WATER LEVEL PATENTEMAY 14 m4 WATER LEVEL 1 WHIRLPOOL BATH UNIT SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a mechanism for providing a circulating whirlpool bath in a bathtub and particularly a bath of a circulating mixture of water and air in said bathtub. I

An advantage of this invention is that the mechanism can be readily installed in conventional bathtubs to provide the comfort of a circulating bath of the mixture of air and water provided.

The invention consists of a mixing unit which is mounted to a drain tube that is fastened over the bathtub drain to provide a uniform water. level in the'tub after the unit has been turned on. The draintube is preferably mounted in a vertical position over the tube drain and fastened externally to the said drain, with the mixing unit mounted to the side of the vertical tube.

Incoming water is admitted into the mixing unit from the tub spigot by a flexible tube which is fastened to the mixing unit intake. The unit intake tube is in the vertical plane, when fastened, and is joined internally in the unit to a horizontal tube of a restricted diameter through which the waterstream is forced. In the preferred embodiment, the diameter of the restriction is of the order of one-quarter the diameter of the intake tube. The restricted diameter tube is then led to a concentric exhaust tube of a diameter of the general size of the intake tube, through which the incoming water flows in a jet stream configuration. Air is led by tubing which extends from above the tub water level to the exhaust tube of the unit, where air is sucked up'by the jet stream of water and is ejected with the water into the tub.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The objects and features of the invention may be understood with reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment of the invention, taken together with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a bathtub in which the invention is shown installed; and

FIG. 2 is a cross-section view in elevation of the invention in operation.

DESCRIPTION OF THEPREFERRED EMBODIMENT Turning now descriptively to the drawing, in which similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views, FIGS. 1-2 illustrate the jet mixer unitl which is fastened to vertical drain tube 11 mounted to the ring fitting l7 fastened to the drain nal restricted diameter tube 27 which forms the incoming water 31 into a horizontal jet stream. The water jet stream issues out of the restricted tube 27 to a concentrically drilled tubular exhaust orifice 28 which directs the exhausted jet stream 32 horizontally intothe tub 12. A vertical tube 24 is lead from above the water level 21 to an opening in the side of the exhaust orifice of restricted tube 27, which forms the jet stream, is

one-quarter the internal diameter of intake tube 26 or exhaust orifice 28. 1

Since obviouschanges may be made in the-specific embodiment of the invention descrebed herein, it is indicated that all matter contained herein is intended-as illustrative and not as limiting in scope.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A device for providing a circulating stream of aerated water in a bathtub, said device being adaptable for attachment to the fittings of said bathtub,

said device consisting of 'an intake tube through which intake water under pressure is admitted, a restricted'diameter tube joined to said intake tube, with said restricted diameter tube being lead to an exhaust tube w'hichdirects the flow of the water into the attached tub, said exhaust tube being also connected by one or more openings in the wall of said exhaust tube to a supply of air, such that the incoming water is formed into a jet stream in the exhaust tube by passage through the restricted diameter tube with said jet stream in the exhaust tube acting to suck in air and mix said air with the jet stream of water that is exhausted into the. tub to-' of said drain tube in the installed vertical position when sufficient water flows into said tub. 2. The combination as recited in claim 1 in which the .supply of air is lead to the exhaust tube of the unit by a tube which is vertically fastened in the installed position, said tube terminating in an open end located higher than the open end of the drain tube. 

1. A device for providing a circulating stream of aerated water in a bathtub, said device being adaptable for attachment to the fittings of said bathtub, said device consisting of an intake tube through which intake water under pressure is admitted, a restricted diameter tube joined to said intake tube, with said restricted diameter tube being lead to an exhaust tube which directs the flow of the water into the attached tub, said exhaust tube being also connected by one or more openings in the wall of said exhaust tube to a supply of air, such that the incoming water is formed into a jet stream in the exhaust tube by passage through the restricted diameter tube with said jet stream in the exhaust tube acting to suck in air and mix said air with the jet stream of water that is exhausted into the tub together with a drain tube to which the intake tube and exhaust tube are fastened, said drain tube being adaptable for vertical attachment to the drain fittings of the bathtub so as to prevent the flow of water in the bathtub from flowing directly into the tub drain, tub drainage only being provided by water flowing over the open top of said drain tube and into the connected tub drain so as to provide a water level in the tub of the general height of the top opening of said drain tube in the installed vertical position when sufficient water flows into said tub.
 2. The combination as recited in claim 1 in which the supply of air is lead to the exhaust tube of the unit by a tube which is vertically fastened in the installed position, said tube terminating in an open end located higher than the open end of the drain tube. 